The present invention relates to a docking station and an ultrasonic diagnostic system. More particularly, the embodiments described herein are concerned with a docking station for mounting thereto a tablet type electronic device removably and an ultrasonic diagnostic system equipped with such a docking station.
The tablet type electronic device is superior in mobility and is therefore bought in and used by users in various fields. The application field of the tablet type electronic device covers various fields, including, for example, manufacture, construction, agriculture and fisheries, distribution, financing, science and medical care.
The function of the tablet type electronic device is limited, so when extension of the function is needed, the electronic device is docked to an extension station and a required extension device is connected to a port of the extension station at a nearby base or a home office.
The extension device connected to the docking station is a dedicated device such as a general-purpose device, e.g., display, keyboard, HDD (hard disk drive), DVD recorder (digital versatile disk recorder), printer, or modem, or a power supply for charging.
The extension station is also called a docking station. The docking station uses a docking assembly to hold the tablet type electronic device. With use of a holding mechanism of a rack-like structure, the docking assembly holds the bottom and both sides of the tablet type electronic device. The holding mechanism has a connector for electrical connection at its portion against which the bottom of the tablet type electronic device comes into abutment (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,506).
In the docking station referred to above, the mounting and removal of the tablet type electronic device are easy, but when the docking station is carried on a cart or a vehicle, there arises the problem that the state of docking with the tablet type electronic device is apt to become loose under the influence of vibration or shock during travel.